The Poncey-Highland Japanese-centric eatery kicks off with dinner service at 6 p.m.
Chef Mihoko Obunai, in conjunction with Concentrics Restaurants, Monday in a press release announced plans to open Nexto October 24 at 6 p.m.
The Poncey-Highland Ward “Japanese-centric” eatery, at 828 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE, would offer ramen, hot and cold plates and robatayaki.
Signature dishes include items like the Chrysanthemum gomaae with pecan, tahini, dashi, katsuobushi ($6), JFC wings with caramelized garlic, ginger, soy, togarashi, yuzu ranch ($8), and the Late night ramen burger offered after 10:00pm with fried egg, kimchi, kaiware, sriracha kwechap ($12.)
The wine program would feature “refreshing, fun and balanced” wines from classic and adventurous producers, regions and grape varieties, alongside Japanese-inspired cocktails, sakes, shochu and craft beers.
“Located in a funky and industrial corrugated metal shed, surrounded by a bamboo hedge, Nexto boasts modern minimalistic design,” according to the release.
“Front and center is a bustling open kitchen flanked by a unique Todd Murphy piece that was commissioned specifically for Nexto.”
Obunai, Initially known for her restaurant Repast that she co-opened, Obunai’s career has been chronicled in publications such as Bon Appetit and Food & Wine Magazine.
In 2010 she was selected as a StarChef “Rising Star Chef” and later competed on the Food Network’s “Chopped”.
In 2012, Obunai trained with Chef Jack Nakamura (her ramen mentor) at Ramen Lab in New York City. Furthermore, Obunai won the “First Annual Ramen Battle” at The 10th Annual StarChefs International Chefs Congress in Brooklyn, NY.
Following this stint, she later launched her own ramen pop-up “Mibo Ramen” nationwide. In 2014, Obunai launched another ramen pop-up at Atlanta’s Soundtable called “Ramen Freak.”
Nexto will be open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and closed Sundays.
One Response
Though we’d love to be able to claim this cool new restaurant as an O4W establishment, it’s located east of the BeltLine and is, therefore, in Poncey-Highland, not the Old Fourth Ward. Thanks for the shout-out, though!